KAHUKU'S HAKA
The Hawai'i State Championship final in November saw the Kahuku Red Raiders and the Saint Louis Crusaders meet again.
Saint Louis went on to win 30 - 14 to claim the Open State Football Title but what was interesting about this game besides the game was that the Kahuku Red Raiders were not allowed to perform the haka.
In 2010 a haka was composed for Kahuku's football team which became a tradition for the boys to perform at the beginning of their games (similar to the hakas performed in New Zealand and the South Pacific islands prior to rugby and rugby league games).
Last year the Kahuku Raiders were told that if they did the haka it would be considered "Unsportsmanlike" and they'd be given a 15 yard penalty. They did it anyway and took the penalty.
THIS year, the team were told that any player performing the haka would be banned so the community got together - friends, family and fans - to help the team and THEY performed the haka in the stands for the boys.
Even with the loss, Kahuku's spirit still shone through!
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